A Titled Day

Posted on May 5, 2012 by TheJessicaness

tollbound

What an awesome place to camp. We slept great and got to see more turkeys on our way out after the camp host opened the gate early for us – before 6:30 am. We get $50 in gas at Valero, $200 from the ATM, and a free slice of banana bread with our coffee from Peet’s before paying the $6.00 to go south on the Golden Gate Bridge. Tolls were started in 1937 at 50 cents each way and northbound was made free in 1968. The charges change with the needs of the city’s transport systems – the bridge, trolleys, and ferries – and inflation.

We park at the Civic Center Garage for $8.50 so that we can have a chance to walk around a different part of town while we wait for the Asian Art Museum to open at 10 am. We see the trolley tracks and signs about tour buses and marshals service vehicles; benches in the shape of Z surrounding a small triangular garden; all the leftovers, with chopsticks, thrown on the ground in front of the Chinese restaurant; a deep hole in the sidewalk; and a blue gargoyle mural complete with bird silhouettes and purple lettering down the wall.

Hindu deity Parvati made of chlorite in the 11th century

Hindu deity Parvati made of chlorite in the 11th century

We see the city’s bag lady with her motley mix of plastic and canvas accessories on wheels; the couple coming out of the self-cleaning toilet leaving Subway trash behind; the vibrant Hartland Hotel mural; a pigeon eyeballing us as he drinks from a dog dish; a floral mattress with a hole and a smiley face; an unmanned newsstand offering the WSJ, NYT, and SF Chronicle in two languages; a man carrying a chair on his back while smoking a cigar; some beautiful architecture; and a Falun Dafa demonstration in front of city hall.

We walked in as soon as the museum doors opened only to find out that the Terracotta  Warriors that I was so excited to see wasn’t to be an exhibit until next May.  Saddened though I was we decided to stay since we got in free – active duty military with up to five family members. There is a room dedicated to Buddha made of different material and varying sizes that were found from multiple countries. And art from India influenced by British Rule.

18th century Chinese two-part jade belt buckle

18th century Chinese two-part jade belt buckle

There are decorated painted plates of birds and horses; sculptures in stone of humans and apes; long swords that are curvy and straight with fancy handles and sheaths; intricate artwork with metal and beads and tiny details; and scenes carved in jade of all colors on dishes for holding food and water. There are many new styles, textures, and stain mixtures that were made over 700 years ago – and plenty of it in this museum. There is wood, metal, rock, glass, paint, and fiber that has gone into expressing the zeitgeist of the ages that have built up to the making and filling of these rooms.

We could spend many more hours in here, but that’s not what we came for. We look at some art by Bae Young-whan, a painting I would love in my home, a suit of armor, an incense burner with mother-of-pearl inlay, and a golden chandelier contrasted against the octagon ceiling and arches of the room. On our way out we peek at an unfinished installation, Phantoms of Asia, by Sun Kwak using black masking tape to change the idea of how a space is viewed – complex and elegant.

San Francisco musician

San Francisco musician

From there, we drive down to the famous Fisherman’s Wharf, and find parking again, this time for $18. We walk past the balloon artist, the silver men with boomboxes, and the man sitting on a crate with a branch scaring people. Along the way are two-story tour buses, people on GoCar Tours, people selling clothes and food, tourists on the sidewalk, cyclists and skaters in the street, and old guys playing instruments and doing magic tricks.

San Francisco is a great city to spend time inside and outdoors – both full of history. After some people watching it was time to visit the SF Maritime National Historic Park. We learn about the ships, trade, history, and landscape of the harbor and the bay. We read about the sunken ships that were buried in Yerba Buena Cove as the city extended towards the sea in the 1850s. Prior to the growth of the city came six fires that destroyed downtown each time, but with the introduction of brick and iron buildings, improvements to the water system and volunteer fire department, the city is teeming with life.

beach along San Francisco peninsula

beach along San Francisco peninsula – by Caleb

Back outside we meet friendly Donavan the hotel porter for Kimpton and Michael Jackson’s doppelgänger dancing in a salon on our way to Boudin Bakery. Here we will only spend $34 on bears, crabs, and a bread bowl. With bellies full we walk to Paco’s spray-paint booth where we watch him do a painting for Youssef and ten minutes later ours is done – a plate, cup, and folded piece of paper leave us with some planets, the bridge over Alcatraz, and some colorful reflections in the water from the city and star lights.

With wet painting in hand I’m ready to leave the crowded walkway and get somewhere less populated. We head south on Hwy 1 looking for camping, but stopping as often as possible to see the waves, flowers, cliffs, rocks – to stand on and others to hold in my hand, and colorful shells that look weathered. We stop at the Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel – a great place by the sea, with hot tub, but we won’t be staying tonight.

handrock

We also leave a KOA after they asked for $81, though after some haggling we were able to talk them down to $65. A lot of camping sites were closed or full. We enjoyed the rest of the sunlight, green pastures, kite surfers, cliffside views, bumper stickers, an acorn mural by Bob von Elgg, and trees lining the drive leading to an old elaborate house. I pull over for a picture of the perigee moon before stopping at spot 109 at the Laguna Seca Rec Area near the Mazda Raceway. Caleb sets up for the night and it’s time for sleep.

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Exploring Marin County

Posted on May 4, 2012 by TheJessicaness
Point Reyes Beach

Point Reyes Beach – by Caleb

Fields of green, pools of blue, rocks of gray, cows of brown, clouds of white, and road stripes of yellow – these are the colors we see on our way to Point Reyes National Seashore. On our way to the lighthouse we see a red and black Chevy parked near a moss-covered tree; black and white cows munching on green and brown grass; a deer go limping by a sign warning of dangerous cliffs, waves, and shark infested water; pink and yellow flowers growing on the hills, and white surf washing up on a sandy shore from a bright blue ocean.

We arrive 30 minutes before they open – and we are fine with that. This gives us time to look around at the different colors, shapes, and species that make up the life of this land and sea. The breeze is strong this morning and I try to block some of it from hitting me by standing between the trees, that have grown over the road, and the hill on the other side. We are excited to be in the small information center with an albatross hanging from the ceiling and a section of blue whale teeth on a table.

me and my shadow photographing flowers - by Caleb

me and my shadow photographing flowers – by Caleb

Where I almost break down and cry is when the ranger tells us that people, including rangers and scientists, aren’t allowed down the steep ridge when the winds are over 40 mph… “but I drove all the way here.” I was about ready to accept the fact that I was lucky enough to see it once when we were told that we could go down the 308 steps, more if you include the ramped sections, to visit the lighthouse again. We would be two of the lucky ten that day. I thanked the ranger for putting up with me and looking out for my safety.

I looked at the layers of rock, and the gray whale skull, then read the sign about the “strenuous effort… to climb… a 30-story building.” I grabbed the railing as I looked down at the white buildings with red roofs built on the edge of this beautiful, yet dangerous, cape. There is a striped bird looking for breakfast, rocks covered in orange algae basking in the sun, and a banana slug gliding around in the shade. The seas are rough and the wind gusty, but the views are worth it.

beads

The Ken Patrick Visitor Center, on Drakes Beach, is closed when we get there. Dogs aren’t allowed on the beach and we are grateful to not have the distraction when someone points out a whale in the distance. We see some back, some fin, and some blowhole action. It seemed like such a large whale, at least 12 feet, to be so close to shore, within a football field or two. We watch the large cetacean swim north as we witness the tide carving the coastline of Drakes Bay.

On our way out of the park we stop at the Bear Valley Visitor Center. I was hoping to get different stamps in my passport, but they are the same, so I penciled in the name. On our way in I see a gopher and wonder what this place looks like from his point of view – when he’s not face deep in dirt. Inside is a little girl holding an elk antler on her head, with the help of her mom, doubling her height.

Point Reyes Lighthouse

Point Reyes Lighthouse

Along Hwy 1 to Muir Woods National Monument we stop so that Sparky can chew on some oysters; we can see all the harbor seals and cormorants bathing on the sand bar; be worried that we are too close to the baby seal maybe 20 feet away; wonder what the rusted parts in the water used to be; look at the curvy road as it winds between the hills and the sea; and to see the plants, signs, poles, trees, and rocks that live in such a serene setting.

Parking at the 105 year old monument, that was almost named after Congressman Kent, with trees over 500 years old is farther from the entrance this time. Our last visit was us and a few buses. This trip would consist of us going through the two parking lots and leaving the car, with dogs inside, parked along the road in the shade. I suppose we should’ve noticed the sidewalk last time, but we made use of it today. The park is still beautiful, but where there were peaceful animals there are now noisy people.

Muir Woods

Muir Woods

The trees still loom largely over us and even more so on some parts of the boardwalk. The trail from Fern Creek to Eastwood is closed due to a slide, but where these trees fall they have no problem creating even more life from their branches and partly hollow trunks, and providing more protection in making nestable areas to smaller fauna on the ground. Some people are just fine with walking among these giants; others want to touch them, sit on them, climb in or on them, in an attempt to feel their age and power – if only we treated our elderly with such attention.

Along the boardwalk I see a lady telling her friend to smile so that she can take her picture. I tell the smiler, “more smiling,” and get all three of the friends to smile – now only if I would’ve taken a picture of that. We make it to Fort Baker on the northeast side of the Golden Gate Bridge around 4:00 pm to get some information about the rest of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. We stop along the way to Fort Barry to see the different angles of the ninth longest single span bridge in the world also painted red-orange to stick out amongst the thick fog that is known to blanket the area.

three people on a bench

three people on a bench

Fort Barry, or what’s left of it, a battery with a view is where we see the Point Bonita Lighthouse. We try, but the tunnel to get there closes at 3:30 pm, so we enjoy the expansive view of rocks, city, and ocean; and the black sand beach with seals resting on its shore. We will take the other road, the one with the five-minute red light and one-way tunnel, back to Hwy 1. We drive 16 miles north to China Camp State Park where we will pay $35 for site 22.

The camp host is there when we check in and sociable. He lets us know that he closes the gate at night and that he can definitely open it early for us. He works here seasonally. Note to self: become a traveling camp host when Caleb gets out of the navy. There are one or two other tents in the park so we have our pick of the place. After we see the turkeys, rabbits, and other birds we let the dogs run around while we build a fire. I could get used to getting paid to live in a relaxing setting near such a busy city.

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Another Rain, Another Day

Posted on May 3, 2012 by TheJessicaness

maybell

It’s raining when we wake up at 5:30 am. I finish off the cold coffee and then drive us to Garberville to get a hot refill at Chevron, check Shell for donuts, then drive to Ray’s across the street – they don’t open for another 30 minutes. They have a sign on the door to leave backpacks and bedrolls outside… hmm. We’re about to leave town when we notice a diner that’s open – Eel River Café – no credit cards accepted.

There are plenty of Holstein cows on the walls to match the black and white checkered floor. Two dollars get me six ounces of orange juice. I order two pancakes and half an English muffin with egg, tomato, onion, and avocado. Caleb gets a large orange juice with biscuits and gravy. The pancakes weren’t all that great, but filling enough that I didn’t finish them. We will drive along the coast, stopping for toilet breaks, gas, and drinks.

dogbed

We stop outside of Elk, California to pet some cows that were hiding from the rain under a large group of trees. It feels good to be out of the car after being stuck in it for the last few hours looking for a trail to walk. We will get another chance to stretch our legs at Shell Beach before stopping early for the night in the pet friendly hotel town of Petaluma. We get room 216 at the Quality Inn at 4:30 pm, with a Jacuzzi, for $110 (a deal considering the cost of being near San Francisco, the Pacific Ocean, and the Sonoma wine valley).

Our room smells like marijuana and I find an empty blue pill on the floor. The rain stops, but we don’t feel like walking the almost four miles to dinner at The New Yorker Pizza and Restaurant – cash and check only. There are postcards from all over the world on the wall. We get a beer each, a small veggie pizza, an order of cheesy pesto twists, and a slice of cheesecake. We return to the room where I can soak in the tub. A day of rain and turns has me more tired than usual, but water is still my relaxing companion. We watch Green Lantern as we fall asleep.

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A Wooded Wake Up

Posted on May 2, 2012 by TheJessicaness
Freshwater Lagoon

Freshwater Lagoon – by Caleb

Another morning of sleeping in. Piggy ate some of her breakfast, but decided she was still too cold. The fog is still touching the top of the trees as we make our way to the Redwood National and State Parks. South of Crescent City we see the Pacific Ocean – and each time it tells us to come feel: the sand and what it may consist of; the salt water and the life, history, and distance it contains; the driftwood and empty shells and the lives they supported, and the patches of grass watered by the wispy clouds above.

And every time we listen. Each visit also brings birds that fly, eat and sing; crabs that run and dig or tuck away in their shell; boats that are sailing and working; fish that are swimming and jumping; and rocks that are either covered in moss and anemones or that have been smoothed round by wind and water. We are surrounded by tall trees, steep cliffs, and big rocks – some things are bigger in California. Time always surprises me on trips – what the map says will take mere minutes takes us only hours – in this case to weave our way along the 101 to False Klamath Cove.

redhook

We come to the Lagoon Pond with the Yurok Loop, about a half mile, and the Coastal Trail, probably three miles one-way, as options to explore the area in more detail. I choose the path to the right for ferns, mushrooms, pink and yellow flowers, and a view of the ocean. Not far from our walk are the Trees of Mystery with Paul Bunyan and Babe, the blue ox, guarding the entrance to the Kingdom of Trees Trail and the museum with Inuit, Navajo, Yupik, and Shoshoni artifacts – clothes, rugs, masks, baskets, art, and tools – along with news clippings, books, plants they used for dyes, beadwork, and Kachina dolls.

Outside could lead us to the gondola, that even allows dogs, but we happened to come on the one day that they choose to do annual maintenance and quality assurance checks. We will satisfy ourselves with seeing the world’s largest family tree, using nature’s underpass, stretching to be as tall as a root base, to stand in the temple of trees, and to jump in fright at the moss-covered bear with her cub near the giant squirrel and pooped logger that are some of the largest carvings out of milled redwood.

beadowl

It’s one thing to see a tree, another to see it as a house or carving, but a whole other sense of size is gained when you’re able to drive your car through a tree. We stood in the tree and a lady offered to take our picture. She tried a few times, but kept hitting the ISO button, and then only focusing the image when I turned on live-view. We thanked her anyways and then I drove the car through, almost breaking a mirror off, while Caleb took a picture and laughed. The ‘tunnel’ is tall enough for two cars, but just wide enough for one.

We make our way to the short but scenic alternate route – Newton B. Drury Parkway – nine miles of driving in the middle of the forest instead of the edge that the 101 offers. Along the way we will stop at the Prairie View Trail and appreciate the ecosystem that Redwoods provide whether standing or fallen and be in awe of their strength to endure geological changes that killed dinosaurs and early human presence that took these giants for granted – some even so today as a woman chooses to do crosswords in the car while her husband enjoys what these wooden wonders have to offer.

lookinup

photo by Caleb

After the Thomas Kuchel Visitor Center – with many great books inside about hiking, cycling, and paddling the coast and Redwoods, and children’s books about nature, baby animals, and outdoor activities – we walk the Elk Prairie Trail in search of the namesake, but none are seen. We stop on the other side of Freshwater Lagoon to compare the rough seas to the serene water separated by 500 feet of sand, pavement, and grass. All this beauty is making me hungry.

We stop in Trinidad for gas and get coffee and a giant donut (for dessert) and are hopeful for pizza across the street, but it’s closed. We go to the grocery store next door looking for food and I only have a mind for sugar. While Caleb is getting lunch and water I will be shopping at the chocolate bar shelf and trying to decide which new flavors I should get. I narrow it down and them am worried about the price, but the cashier gave us some discount or made a mistake making my selection sweeter.

grasstair

From Pepperwood, we will hike the Drury-Chanel Trail; see the Immortal Tree that survived lightning, logger’s axe, forest fire, and a flood; and the Eternal Tree House that’s over 2500 years old. It was felled in the 1900s to be used for fencing and railroad ties. The remaining stump has been used by Indians, hunters, travelers, and livestock for shelter until 1950 when it was refined into a gift shop. It’s nearing dinner time so we need to look for a place to sleep.

We had planned on camping in the Redwoods, but the first exit for camping says closed. We drive down the five miles of winding busted road to see how closed it is. There is a bar across the road and we don’t know how far the hike would be to set up in a designated spot. We drive to the next campground and the host tells us it will be $35. As we debate this for a moment, a cyclist pulls up and is told he only has to pay $5. I understand his vehicle may take up less space, but our tents will be the same and neither of us needs electrical or waste water facilities.

darklip

We drive to the next campground and it’s closed too, so we attempt the nearby inn. The man and his two kids greet us and he tells us that he can offer us a room for $160 with breakfast included. We let him know it’s not in our budget and he tells us it has to be expensive because it’s the nicest place in the park. (Personally I think on the ground near the trees would be better, but that doesn’t seem to be allowed tonight). He lets us know that we can find lodging in Garberville, “about 16 miles from here”, for around $70.

We don’t make it that far before we see a camping sign. The office is closed for the night. We arrived after 9:30 pm. We set up at R1 which had the least amount of light (they should be motion sensored or off). Sleep will come fast tonight with our bellies full of mac-n-cheese, mine even more so with coconut curry chocolate, and with the greeting dog barking at all the cars going by. I wonder if the drivers have any idea what they’re missing.

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Icy and Late

Posted on May 1, 2012 by TheJessicaness
the road to Crater Lake

the road to Crater Lake

I woke at 6:00 am only to go back to sleep while Caleb broke down the tent, since it was rained on recently we set it up last night to dry out, and took a shower. It was a good decision to get a room for the night because this morning there is ice on the car and the temperature at 7:00 am is 30 degrees. I almost lost an earring this morning, gifted to me by Robert. I was in the shower, in a small bathroom, and it fell in the sink.

There is still snow as tall as us on the ground as we make our way to Crater Lake National Park, and we are surprised by the hood of a car we see sticking out amongst the pile of white flakes that have accumulated through the winter. The evergreen trees, small patches of grass, bright sunshine, and running water give us a false hope that we will see the deepest caldera lake, at 1,949 feet, in the U.S.

orcav

The road through the parking lot is walled with snow. They have done some serious cleaning so that rangers can man the station, but out of the 44 feet that fell there is still ten of it on the ground. Inside we are told we will have better luck at the end of the month. We will make the most of this visit by exploring the few items for sale, the educational displays, and getting pictures of the snow covering the windows – something new for someone raised in the south.

Outside, Caleb will attempt to either climb the wall or throw himself in it. Either way the expressions on his face are worth it – it’s cold. We will stop on Crater Lake Hwy, out of the park, to enjoy more of the snowless terrain. While on our walk we find a Cialis 10mg 3-pack empty, a Hamm’s beer can that has been depleted, and what’s left of a teal Trojan wrapper – all among the gravel and pine needles – romantic, trashy (in the sense that they didn’t pick up after themselves), and partially dangerous due to sharp sticks nearby.

orecav

Time for my second muffin that will conclude my breakfast before we walk around the Mill Creek Falls Scenic Area. And though we may be worried about being washed away if the power dam floods our minds are skipping down memory lane as we realize we are seeing part of the Rogue River – the bypass reach (Avenue of the Boulders). This section is Class 5, expert only. We were guided by Jerry’s Rogue Jets on a 104-mile round-trip ride through six rapids one-way and a stop for lunch from Gold Beach – on the other side of the Rogue River-Siskiyou National Forest.

Cookie and coffee from the café for lunch and gas from the station pumped by Santa’s dad. At the western end of Hwy 46 there is the Illinois Valley Visitor Center that tells you more about the Oregon Caves National Monument with a few things to know before you go: must be at least 42 inches tall to go on a tour with over 500 steps, the temperature inside is 44 degrees, and the 19-mile road to get there should take about 45 minutes.

caveballs

At the information booth/ticket center/gift shop at the eastern end of the road we learn that the marble that is now 4,000 feet above sea level used to be a bacterial reef on the Pacific Ocean floor. We also read that the extra coldness of this cave has help preserve the bones from scavengers, weather, and acidic soil revealing the most northern found jaguar skull and oldest grizzly bear bones in North America, and the best record of a salamander in the West.

Some animals are only found here, though we won’t see any of them. They are a colorless millipede, a harvestman with extra-large front limbs, and an ice crawler that needs year-round cool temperatures to survive. We sign up for the 2:30 pm cave tour and are joined by our guide Steve and two sisters over 60, one is 72, with their husbands. With such a small group I’m able to get plenty of pictures of the cave that supports the animals and roots, with flowing and dripping water, that call this hole home.

worms

There is not a lack of color in here. And when we get to the signature wall we see one dated to 1897 – only 115 years ago. It would be neat if the caves with such old art, dating over 30,000 years ago and more, were able to sustain the constant damage that light and human presence cause so that I could gaze amongst those marks left so long ago by people living in what could be considered another world – no cars, lights, phones, or sliced bread. We come out the other side of the half-mile passage 90 minutes later.

On the 0.75 mile walk back to the visitor center I learn that the two couples live in Oregon. The younger sister got her hip replaced in Jan. ’09 before her 13-month-in-advance trip for May ’09 to hike the Grand Canyon rim-to-rim. She had broken it while skiing and doubled her rehab so that she may be slow when the trip came, but she would be able. Her sister had one knee replaced 3 months ago and the other one 7 years ago – the effect she says of backpacking for 35-40 years.

corley

Outside the cave we see green moss, blue birds, and marble rock. Then I spot some morel mushrooms. Had we been on public property we would’ve had those with dinner. Back down the Cliff Nature Trail and we part ways. It’s nice to meet fellow travelers with so much enthusiasm that they won’t let overly used parts, or the age excuse, stand in their way of fun. We linger in front of their waterfall-pond before walking back down to the car.

The campsites are still closed for the season, but the space in front of the gate is more than enough room to park the car and make mac-n-cheese. I fed the dogs, made sure they were full, walked them around some, and then gave them treats – dogs are like kids, and me, never too full for dessert. It will be another 19 miles back to Cave Junction and then 13 miles to the California border where we go through agricultural inspection.

popflo

Eighteen miles from the state line on Hwy 199 is the Darlingtonia Trail. It’s a short 0.2 mile loop, but it takes us to a bog full of the California Pitcher Plants, more like a praying cobra snake than a large beverage-serving dish. They are mostly green and mottled with purple and able to survive in this highly toxic environment along with flowers nearby made of pink, white, and yellow, and poison oak.

Not far from the bog, a mile and a half, is the Panther Flats Campground where we will claim spot 11 for the night. We got here just in time to walk to the river and back as the night got darker. We were able to make dinner and set up the tent in the dark. Two hours later and a car will park across from us. It’s cool to be so close to another group, but have trouble seeing them because the stars don’t drop enough light through the trees, giving the false impression of more distance and solitude.

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